Schnucks Closing 2 Rockford Stores

St. Louis-based Schnuck Markets Inc. plans to close two of its Rockford, Ill., supermarkets while making some changes to the prepared foods options at two other stores in that area that will remain open.

Schnucks will close its Alpine Road and Rural Street stores by the end of the month. The stores' combined 139 associates will be offered positions at neighboring Schnucks stores. Company leaders say low sales and the costly operation of these two older, smaller facilities factored heavily into this decision.

Also in the Rockford area, Schnucks closed the in-store restaurants and restructured related areas within its two largest stores, resulting in the elimination of 15 full- and part-time positions at its East State market and nine full- and part-time positions at its Loves Park store. “In order to stay competitive and offer the value our customers want and need, we are discontinuing services currently underutilized by the majority of our customers," said Schnucks President and CEO Todd Schnuck said. "Eliminating positions is always a last resort, but these are directly related to the closed functions and could not be absorbed.”

Schnucks' Pizza Still Popular

But the popular pizzerias at these locations will remain open. "Iin fact, we are expanding the menu selection," Schnuck said. "In order to ensure the continuation of excellent dining experiences, the in-store seating areas will remain."

Family-owned Schnuck Markets Inc. currently operates 10 stores in the Rockford area, among its 101 stores and 95 in-store pharmacies in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa.